Finding Camlann: A Novel
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- 8,49 €
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- 8,49 €
Publisher Description
A compelling argument about the origins of King Arthur wrapped in a brilliant novel.
Set against a rich historical landscape evoked by the secret places and half-forgotten legends of the British countryside, Finding Camlann is both a "fascinating mystery that will engage readers attracted by history, myth and language" (Washington Independent Review of Books) and a "beautifully written, intelligent, and ingenious" (Gillian Bradshaw) novel of how stories shape our notions of the past—and of ourselves.
Archaeologist Donald Gladstone is sure that there never was a "real" King Arthur—that is, until a surprising find at Stonehenge seems to offer hard evidence of Arthur's existence. Teaming up with Julia Llewellyn, a gifted linguist working at the Oxford English Dictionary, Donald sets off on a literary and mythological quest that will change both of their lives. Gloriously many-layered, Finding Camlann is a deeply satisfying love story, a gripping detective story, and a narrative journey of myriad pleasures.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
What at first glance looks like a Dan Brown knockoff is in fact a different animal altogether. An ancient, grisly find uncovered at the Devil's Barrow near Stonehenge rekindles archeologist Donald Gladstone's quest to find historical evidence of King Arthur's existence and true identity. He's aided along the way by Welsh linguist Julia Llewellyn, a married woman with a mysterious family past. Together they try to make sense of "The Song of Lailoken," an ancient Welsh battle poem, while fighting their growing attraction. While many recent popular novels take a swashbuckling, two-fisted approach to uncovering ancient secrets, this debut from Pidgeon, a reference publisher at John Wiley & Sons, embraces a more scholarly method. Much of the novel takes place in academic conferences or dusty college corners, with Pidgeon having fun with English and Welsh history. For American readers or nonhistorians, the book contains much interesting information about the United Kingdom, but for those hoping for a rip-roaring knight's tale, the story drags at times. Pidgeon's novel is situated comfortably in the English countryside's hedged lanes and strange earthen mounds, a read that rewards a deep inspection.
